Various devices can be utilized in a well that traverses a hydrocarbon-bearing subterranean formation. In many instances, it may be desirable to divide a subterranean formation into zones and to isolate those zones from one another in order to prevent cross-flow of fluids from the rock formation and other areas into the annulus. It may also be desirable to control sand across multi-zone applications. Packers may be set in the well in order to isolate zones so that the zones may be gravel packed and produced separately. Without such devices, the zone may experience problems such as sand production, erosion, water breakthrough, or other detrimental problems. A packer may be set between zones in order to seal them from one another.
A well packer may be run into the well on a completion string. Once deployed, packer elements support the completion string and other completion equipment, as well as seal the annulus. For example, a packer may be used to support a screen adjacent to a producing formation and to seal the annulus between the outside of the completion string and the inside of the wellbore casing. This blocks movement of fluids through the annulus past the packer. A packer device may be deployed along the completion string in the wellbore by applying a force to an elastomeric element of the packer. The elastomeric element of the packer may be the portion that creates an annular seal between the completion string and the wellbore casing. The packer device may also have a wedge/slip system that may be engaged to help hold the completion string in place.
Isolation packers are typically run into a well with sand screens or perforated tubing separating each packer. In a multi-zone gravel pack completion, the packers and sand screens are run into the well as a completion string. This completion string separates the well into individual zones between each packer.
The conventional installation method for a completion string with multiple isolation packers is to locate the completion string in the well and set all of the isolation packers at one time. However, using this method of installation does not allow each individual packer to be pressure tested. From the surface, there is no way to know that each of the packers has been properly set.